Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest

Built in 1859, the Dohány Street Synagogue (Hungarian: Dohány utcai Zsinagóga; also known as Dohány Synagogue or the Great Synagogue) in Budapest is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world (after Temple Emanu-el in New York City).

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History of Dohány Street Synagogue

Dohány Synagogue was built in 1854-59 after the plans of Ludwig Förster, who was not Jewish. At the time, the Jewish community in this area of Pest numbered abut 30,000. Dohány Synagogue would go on to have a rich but tragic history.

In March 1944, Adolf Eichmann arrived in Budapest with the occupying Nazi forces to supervise the establishment of the Jewish ghetto and the subsequent deportations. For a time, Eichman had an office behind the rose window in the women's balcony.

Up to 20,000 Jews took refuge inside the synagogue complex during the war, but 7,000 people perished during the bleak winter of 1944-45. These victims are buried in the courtyard, where you can also see a piece of the original brick ghetto wall.

During the Communist period, many windows were broken and the Jews boarded up the synagogue. An ambitious restoration was recently completed, funded in large part by famous Americans Tony Curtis and Estée Lauder, who are of Hungarian-Jewish descent. The building's original splendor is now fully apparent.

What to See at Dohány Street Synagogue

The Great Synagogue is designed like a basilica and includes some striking Byzantine and Moorish elements. The interior is vast and ornate, with two balconies and, unusually, an organ. Its ark contains 25 torah scrolls taken from other synagogues destroyed during the Holocaust.

Next to the main building is the Jewish Heroes' Mausoleum and Temple in memory of the thousands of Jews who died during the Second World War. The Memorial Garden contains monuments to Jews who died in the Holocaust and to non-Jews who protected their Jewish neighbors. The National Jewish Museum is also in the synagogue complex.

Quick Facts on Dohány Street Synagogue

Site Information
Names:Dohány Street Synagogue · Great Synagogue
Country:Hungary
Categories:synagogues
Styles:Moorish
Dates:1854-59
Status: active
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:47.496024° N, 19.060721° E
Address:Budapest, Hungary
Hours:Tues-Thurs 10am-5pm; Fri 10am-2pm; Sun 10am-2pm. Closed Saturdays.
Lodging:View hotels near Dohány Street Synagogue
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

  1. Frommer's Budapest & the Best of Hungary, 5th ed.
  2. Budapest Tourism Office
  3. Budapest - The Virtual Jewish Library
  4. Oh, to be in Budapest! - The Jewish Exponent

More Information

© Alistair Howard
© Fox Magrathea
© Andy Carvin
© Yaffa Grinblatt
© Yaffa Grinblatt
© Bruno Furnari
© Jack G

Map of Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest

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